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The differences between senior database engineers and senior software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a senior database engineer and a senior software engineer. Additionally, a senior database engineer has an average salary of $123,540, which is higher than the $114,494 average annual salary of a senior software engineer.
The top three skills for a senior database engineer include AWS, java and ETL. The most important skills for a senior software engineer are java, python, and javascript.
| Senior Database Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $123,540 | $114,494 |
| Hourly rate | $59.39 | $55.05 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 110,265 | 338,989 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 46 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A senior database engineer specializes in designing and developing databases for a company. Among their responsibilities include identifying and understanding the company's needs, creating and maintaining database projects and programs, writing scripts, troubleshooting errors, fixing bugs, and performing upgrades. They must also provide technical support to employees, addressing and resolving issues promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a senior engineer, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to junior engineers while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Senior software engineers are experienced employees who would usually take the lead in projects related to software development. They are in charge of determining the needs of the organization, checking whether there are feasible solutions to challenges, and creating plans for the development of a software solution. They provide a sound analysis of data collected during the testing phase of the software and address any problems during the software development phase. Once the software has been developed, they then ensure that it works well and that it addresses the needs and expectations of the users.
Senior database engineers and senior software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Database Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $123,540 | $114,494 |
| Salary range | Between $95,000 And $159,000 | Between $86,000 And $151,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | |
| Best paying industry | Internet | Retail |
There are a few differences between a senior database engineer and a senior software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Database Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior database engineers' and senior software engineers' demographics:
| Senior Database Engineer | Senior Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 46 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.6% Female, 14.4% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 23.4% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 31.8% White, 50.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |